1 Hold The Future
by r2roswell
Summary: Story #1 of my Roswell: Refuge series.  The aliens of Roswell are given information that could change their lives forever. Michael/Isabel
1. Chapter 1

1.

When Max entered the Crashdown he saw Isabel sitting at the counter and Michael standing over her. How was he going to do this? Nothing would be normal anymore but it's not like this was a secret he could keep from them. Max took a deep breath as he walked over to his family.

Leaning over Isabel's left side he slightly whispered, "Can we go somewhere and talk, the three of us?"

Isabel's eyes widened. "What did Tess say to you?"

Max stayed silent as he glanced toward the back kitchen where Maria was trying to make it very obvious that she wasn't watching the three of them.

"We should go somewhere, alone," Max said.

Michael looked over at Maria who quickly glanced down to an empty plate in front of her, a plate she was supposed to be filling with a customer's order.

"Leave me alone," Isabel said as she started walking toward the door.

"Isabel," Max said to her.

Isabel was all ready halfway out the door with Max behind her and Michael followed.

"I told you to leave me alone," Isabel said as the three of them reached the spot they had come to know in the desert, one with a sometimes watered lake below them.

All Isabel wanted was to be left alone but Max and Michael wouldn't let her out of their sight even if that meant walking miles through the desert. The way Max had come into the Crashdown wanting to talk to her and Michael alone only helped to confirm their suspicions. She felt so embarrassed and all she wanted was to hide away somewhere and pretend that none of this was happening but she couldn't. Reluctantly she crossed her hands across her stomach which held something more precious than gold.

"Isabel," said Max. "We're not going anywhere, please talk to us."

Isabel tried to stop the tears from flowing down her face. Max started to walk up to her but Michael stopped him.

"Max, let me," he said to his friend.

Michael walked over to Isabel and placed a hand on her back. She tried to move away but Michael gently held her by her waist.

"Hey," was all he said.

Isabel turned to face him and he could see the tears in her eyes.

"Hey," he said again pulling her in to hug her afraid to let her go. "We're gonna be okay Iz."

Isabel sobbed and hugged Michael tighter afraid to let him go as well. "I'm sixteen and pregnant, it's not okay."

"Could be worse," said Michael.

"I'm carrying an alien baby inside of me, what could be worse."

"Alex could've been the father instead."

Isabel tried not to laugh at Michael's joke but she couldn't help it. Michael smiled at his success.

"And besides, from what I saw that kid looks perfectly normal."

Isabel looked up from Michael, his arms still wrapped around her. "What are we going to do?"

Max took a step close to his sister and friend. Though he didn't like the way that Michael and Isabel were standing with each other he decided he would let that go for now. "We'll deal with it same way we have in the past when we've gotten a new power."

"But Max," said Isabel, "This-," she said placing a hand on her stomach, "isn't some new power. There's an actual living being inside here. And it's not like there's anyone we can go to for an abortion."

Both Max and Michael looked up at Isabel, a little worried.

Isabel saw their reaction and toned it down, "Relax it's not like I'm saying I want an abortion, I'm just saying I'm pretty sure we don't have the same kind of options that a normal teenager in my position would have."

Max nodded. Though he wasn't sure if he was ready for a baby in their lives, none of them were sure of that Max knew he had to do something.

Michael looked at Isabel. "Well I'm not going anywhere. I promised I would stand by you after all it's my baby too, he deserves a father."

"I'll go to Tess. She's the only one with any real answers."

"Can you trust her Max," Isabel asked.

"We don't have a choice Isabel. I won't let you go through this alone."

Max looked at his sister and his friend before walking off. Isabel looked at Max before turning back to Michael and burying her face into his chest. Michael continued to hold her for as long as she needed.


	2. Chapter 2

2.

Max knocked on the front door. He hated his need to be here but if being here meant helping his sister then he was willing to do whatever it took. Michael had said he would be there for her and Max wanted to believe him but even if he couldn't he wanted Isabel to know that she had another person she could count on.

Max was facing the street when Tess opened the door behind him.

"Max. I can't say that I'm surprised but I kinda am."

Max turned to face Tess. "I'm not here about us Tess."

Tess could see the anguish on his face. "Um, okay, do you want to come in?"

Max looked around before entering the house.

"What's going on," Tess asked.

Placing his hands in his pocket Max just said the words that he had been thinking since Tess had told him earlier that day but could not bring himself to say out loud until now. "I wasn't the one having those dreams, it was Isabel. She's pregnant Tess. She's scared, we all are. We don't know what to do. Please Tess you're the only who can help us."

"Guess that rules us out."

"What are you talking about?"

"I didn't tell you everything Max. Because of what we are, half human-half alien only half of us would experience having a baby the human way and the other half would experience it the alien way. The fact that both Michael and Isabel have shared the same dreams proves that they got the mating way of our other half."

Max stood there stunned so Tess continued. "I'm sorry I should've told you but when you asked me how it worked I thought it would've been the two of us you were talking about. I guess I just never thought it would be Michael and Isabel."

"No one did. We've always just seen them as brother and sister. The idea that they could be…" Max couldn't even allow himself to go there. "So what do we do?"

Tess had no answers. The only person with all of the knowledge about where they came from, if not in the book was in the mind of their leader, Nasedo but he was nowhere to be found, at least to the ordinary human eye. Truth was he had heard the entire conversation. The stars had aligned and so he knew what needed to be done.

* * *

><p>Isabel sat at the diner at the Crashdown Café. Michael had all ready brought her two glasses of milk but after the second he knew to leave well enough alone. Michael wanted with every fiber in his being to be there for Isabel but at the same time he knew when she wanted to be alone with her thoughts and so he went back to the kitchen keeping an eye on her as he worked.<p>

The door chimed and in walked Alex. He went straight to Isabel.

"So I heard the news," Alex said matter of fact.

"What," Isabel said as she turned to look at him. How in the world could he know unless Michael had said something to Maria who in turn could've told either Liz or Alex. 'Damn it Michael' she thought. Though for all she knew it could've been the other way around where Max had been the one to tell Liz and so forth.

"Come on," said Alex. "Let's get out of here."

"Alex I'm not really in the mood."

Alex looked at the two empty milk glasses. He noticed there wasn't any food in front of her. "Come on Isabel, I'm sure you're hungry or something and I don't know about you but the burgers from here aren't really that good here anyways let alone healthy by any standards." Alex saw Michael look at him. "No offense."

Michael shrugged. "None taken," he said as he went back to work.

"What do you say Isabel? My treat I promise."

All Isabel wanted was to sit here alone but she knew how persistent Alex was and even if she didn't go with him he would end up staying. Either way she felt trapped. At least if they were on the road for a while she could have the window down and get some fresh air.

"Fine," Isabel said. Alex helped her up even though she didn't quite need it since she wasn't that pregnant yet.

When they reached the car Alex opened the door for her and then went around to the driver's side. Isabel saw a bag of fruit sitting on the arm rest between the two seats.

Alex smiled. "I came prepared."

"Thanks Alex but I'm really not that hungry."

Alex shrugged as they drove away from the main street. "Are you sure, I'd hate it if your baby suffered because you're not taking care of yourself."

Isabel rolled her eyes but took a piece of orange anyway. After she swallowed she said to him, "Alex can we please not talk about that?"

"About what, the baby?"

"Yes that. It's too weird all right. And the fact that you can even say the word- why would you want to be with me anyways when it's not even yours?"

"Because I care about you Isabel. That hasn't changed. Has it changed for you?"

Isabel turned her head toward the window not knowing what to say. She cared about Alex, she wanted to care about him in a deeper way but now she was pregnant with another man's baby and that changed everything.

Rather than staying on the subject she decided to change it. "So where are we going anyways?"

Alex smiled. "I don't know, figured we'd just drive until we stop somewhere."

"Works for me," Isabel replied as she continued staring out her window.

Alex smiled again glad he had Isabel's blessing to go anywhere they wanted.


	3. Chapter 3

3.

Michael's shift had finished so he was sitting with Max at one of the booths. Despite being here nearly all day it was the typical hangout so he didn't mind sticking around.

The door opened and Michael was surprised to see Alex without Isabel.

"Hey guys," Alex said to them. "Where's Isabel?"

"She left with you about an hour ago," replied Michael.

"Um no she didn't," said Alex

"Yeah she did," Michael threw back. "I saw you come in here and she went with you. You even told her the food here sucks."

Alex and Max looked at each other and then Alex looked back at Michael.

"Okay that's crazy. I would never say the food here sucks. Considering how much I eat here I'm surprised I haven't started packing on the pounds."

Michael looked at Max before getting up from his seat and darting out the door. Max followed him and all Alex could do was stare as they left. What the heck just happened?

* * *

><p>The sun was starting to set and Isabel was starting to worry. Trusting Alex wasn't the problem, it was the fact that they were driving further out of town than seemed necessary.<p>

"Alex, just exactly where are we going?"

"What are you scared?"

Isabel thought about Alex's words. He would never tease her in that way. What was up with him?

"Okay Alex I think I'm ready to go back now."

"Not yet, we haven't even gotten to our special spot yet."

Isabel looked at Alex, really looked at him. "You're not him are you?" she asked.

"Score one for Miss Popularity. I'm surprised it took you this long to figure it out. Guess I really do pull off a good Alex Witman don't I?"

"Who are you, what do you want with me?" she said instinctively placing a hand on her abdomen.

"Relax," said Nasedo. "I wouldn't dream of hurting you or the child you're carrying."

Nasedo pulled over to a stop. Checking all around him to make sure there was no one around, he placed his hand in front of him. Isabel had to cover her eyes from the blinding light. When she looked back at him she kind of gasped.

"There, much better," he said.

"Mr. Harding," Isabel simply stated.

"Well yes but not really. You can call me Nasedo. I've been the one who has been protecting you."

"I'm supposed to be grateful? You just kidnapped me?"

"It was the only way to get you alone."

"Yeah I got that. Why me? You know Max and Michael are going to be looking for me."

"Oh I don't doubt that. You all have become very resourceful but there was a reason I chose you Isabel."

"And you're not going to tell me are you?"

"Isabel you're the first hybrid to successfully become impregnated. I hadn't anticipated it to happen this soon but now that it has you deserve to know everything: Where you come from, what will happen during your pregnancy and for that consider me your midwife of sorts."

"I'd rather not," Isabel said as she looked out the window.

"Well like it or not, I'm the only person you've got. I've had experience with this kind of thing."

Isabel looked over at Nasedo wanting to press him but decided not to, at least not yet.

The way was dark but Nasedo knew where he was going. It was clear that this was a dirt road he had traveled many times before. They finally came to a stop at an old torn down ranch house. Nasedo and Isabel got out of the car.

"This is what they called the 'debris field' back in '47," said Nasedo.

"I can't see anything."

"That's because you're seeing with your human eyes. You and your friends have much to learn Isabel. Learn to look closer." Nasedo continued with the rest of his story. "There was a reason this place was chosen. This area that we're standing on has one of the highest radiation readings on this planet. You'd find others across the world but this place is more inhabitable than others. Our people have been to Earth long before others settled in this region. It's one of the reasons why that shack is there. Beneath it is an underground bunker. It belongs to you now. No human can get inside it."

"If this place contains as much radiation as you say isn't that bad for when we go back into town and even worse for the…"

Nasedo smiled at Isabel. "You can say it Isabel, 'baby'. And no, it's not bad. Our bodies are different than humans, even yours despite your hybrid status. We absorb radiation much in the same way that humans absorb the minerals they eat. Radiation poses no threat to us or to your baby. I wouldn't have brought you here otherwise."

A car was rolling in behind them, their headlights focused on Isabel and Nasedo. Michael jumped out of the jeep before it came to a halt.

"Then why bring us here," Max asked.

Tess got out from the back seat. "I'm sorry they made me tell them."

"It's okay Tess," said Nasedo, "I had a feeling the boys wouldn't be far behind."

Michael went over to Isabel and hugged her. "Isabel, are you okay?"

"I'm fine Michael."

"Did he hurt you?"

"No, really I'm okay," she said trying to reassure him.

"And the baby," he asked worried just as much for his son as he was for its mother.

Isabel patted her stomach softly. "Safe and sound," she said.

Michael looked over at Nasedo placing himself squarely between him and Isabel. "What do you want with her, what do you want with us?"

"To show you the truth," said Nasedo.

He walked over to the car and reached for a bag. He began walking into the shack that looked like it was about to collapse any moment.

"I don't have to tell you to follow me do I?" Nasedo asked with his back towards the group as he headed to the shack.

Isabel looked from Max to Michael to Tess. Max led the way with Michael behind him as he held onto Isabel's hand. Tess was behind the three.

As the five of them walked down to the basement Nasedo moved a stack of boxes which revealed a metal door. He opened it as if it weighed nothing. He then descended down into the darkness while the others followed.

When they entered the room it started to light up. The group looked around the room and was surprised to see that it resembled the cave where they had performed Michael's healing ceremony on the reservation. It was nearly exact down to the very shape of the V constellation on the wall only with other foreign symbols around it.

"What is this place," Max asked.

"A safe haven," was all Nasedo said as he was grabbing some things from the bag he brought down with him. He pulled out some stones as well as the orbs.

"Where did you get those," asked Michael. "How?"

Nasedo smiled, "I can be very resourceful when I need to be."

Nasedo placed the stones in the V symbol indentions on the wall. They lit up and then Nasedo touched each stone separately creating a pattern. Taking a step back the V symbol folded in on itself and morphed into the symbol that was on the silver orbs. A bright light appeared from the symbol and a holographic image of a man and a woman appeared.

The group just stared in awe.


	4. Chapter 4

4.

"Welcome home my children," said the woman.

The man placed a hand around the woman's shoulders, "Well you're home away from home. This cave, this safe haven of sorts is the closest we could find that resembles your true home world. In here we have programmed our essences so that you may commune with us as freely as you do with each other. I am Drayus your father and loyal scientist."

"You have a lot of questions," said the woman. "We will do our best to answer them for you. I am called Amaura. I take this human form because it will be familiar to you. My son," she said pointing to Max. "Our great king, our beloved leader. I have sent you with your young bride: A chosen women per your father's request. My daughter, sister to the king and kindred spirit. I have sent you with your fiancé and your brothers trusted second in command."

Isabel looked at Michael. "I know what you must be thinking my dear but unlike your brother, your attachment was not arranged. Ever the persistent one it was among many reasons why we sent him down to be with you."

"You have questions," said the man.

Max looked at the group and then to his parents. "What are we?"

Drayus took the answer. "A great catastrophe has fallen on our people. We were able to combine your DNA with those of humans in order so that you may be reborn. It is our hope that you will return to us and take your rightful place as the rightful rulers of Antar and save us from the destruction that puts us in grave despair."

Amaura looked at Isabel. "My daughter, what weighs heavily on you?"

Isabel looked down and cautiously placed a hand on her stomach. "I'm…pregnant, how is that possible? We weren't even together."

Amaura nodded. "We were unsure as to how the DNA reconfiguration would work, how it would alter your forms once you were created. Your ways of coitus are different than we intended. We speak to you by way of mouth but it is not the way we communicate. Our minds are a collective and it is through that collective that sometimes the strongest of bonds can result in a pregnancy though which normal coitus is not needed. Though our species does experience coitus the natural human way as well. It is how you and your brother were brought into the world the first time."

Both Isabel and Max squirmed a little. They had had the sex talk many times before but this time was different because not only were they getting a lesson on human sex but they were getting a lesson in alien interrelations as well.

Amaura continued with her lesson. "My daughter, the bond you and your love had on Antar transcends that of any relationship and it is through that relationship that your collective minds were able to bond in such a way that has only been seen one other time in the lifetime of our planet.

It is a rarity but it is also a gift. Do not be frightened though. Due to your newly added half of human DNA it is expected that you will have a normal nine month gestation period."

Isabel winced at the word gestation.

"You hold the heir to our future. Though your brother may be king for the reason that you have become the first to bring life into the world your child will rightfully inherit the throne as is the way of our people when a family has siblings."

Isabel looked at Max as if she had taken something away from him. He looked at her and she just looked down.

Drayus pointed to Nasedo. "We have sent with you Nasedo not only to guard and protect you but he will also be your doctor through this ordeal. Humans cannot be trusted."

"And you trust Nasedo," asked Max.

"My son, do not be alarmed. Nasedo is an old friend. I'd give my life for him and he us. He is the reason you were brought into the world."

Isabel looked at Nasedo. So that's what he meant when he had said he had experience with the pregnancy thing. Nasedo smiled and nodded at Isabel.

Isabel looked at Michael. "I don't know if I can do this."

Michael nodded. This was a lot to take in at the same time a part of him couldn't help but be happy as this was starting to turn into the family he had always wanted.

"I know," Michael said. "You don't have to but think of the adventure."

Isabel looked up at him with part of her eyebrow raised. "You really want to?"

Michael shrugged. "Well like you said, I'd never been that happy before and if what your mom said is true- about some past love we used to have transcending so deep into thought and create a kid out of it then yeah I think we should give it a try."

Max looked at his best friend. He couldn't believe the words he was hearing. Michael had never been this honest or open about anything.

Isabel looked down at her stomach. She was so unsure about everything right now and as much as this terrified her she knew she couldn't be the reason of depriving Michael from a happiness he had never known until that moment they dreamt of their baby boy.

"Hear that," she said to her stomach. "Looks like we're keeping you."

Michael looked at Isabel. "You're sure?"

Isabel took a deep breath, "Not really but there's a life inside me Michael and in some odd way I can sense him. He deserves a chance, the same kind of chance that we got when we were sent here."

"People will talk," Max interjected.

"Let them," replied Michael. "We wouldn't be the first teenagers to get pregnant."

Max looked at Michael. "So it's we now?"

Michael looked at Isabel and could see the same worry in her eyes that he had in hers. "We'll figure it out."

Isabel sighed and leaned into Michael letting him hug her and caress her back. The five onlookers watched in silence.

* * *

><p><strong>END<strong>.


End file.
